Is the distinction between "serious" and "popular" press valid? How do TV news, the internet, radio news and newspapers function within popular culture? What is (and what is not) good journalism?
Is there a difference between journalism, political commentators and bloggers?
All these add to the question what is a journalist? And are there central core of activities?
This is what we have been looking at during the first few weeks of this course. I believe that the journalist is constantly evolving and that their activities would depend upon what they were reporting, their goals and objectives. As the text states “journalists who believe their function is to tell the truth…might be expected to act in a different manner to those whose objective is so strengthen society, or work for public benefit” (Tapsall, S. & Varley, C. 2008;3).
MEAA, 1999, describes journalists as people who “describe society to itself. They convey information, ideas and opinions. They search, disclose, record, question, entertain, comment and remember. They inform citizens and animate democracy. They give a practical form of freedom of expression. They scrutinise power, but also exercise it, and should be responsible and accountable” (in Tapsall, S. & Varley, C. 2008;5).
A journalist therefore needs certain attributes, including communication skills; a questioning, curious and inquisitive mind; writing abilities; news sense; knowledge of technology; listening skills; general knowledge; empathy, patience and understanding; language and interviewing skills (Tapsall, S. & Varley, C. 2008;10).
Anyone can ultimately possess these skills and as was mentioned in The Future of Journalism Summit, with the spread of technology and the tools used in the media industry, a new era of media production and consumption has begun and the “people formally known as the audience” have the capacity to comment and anyone can act as a journalist, as long as they have an authority on the matter.
So then what is the future of the journalist?
And as it was said in The Future of Journalism Summit, are all journalism students traditionalists and conservative? Doesn’t the fact that we have to use the internet and blog for this course prove that we do take advantage of the technologies at hand?
I put it to you, are we traditionalist and conservative?
